Motivated teen today, political leader tomorrow

Editor's note: This story was produced by student reporters as part of the High School Journalism Institute, an annual collaboration among The Oregonian/OregonLive, Oregon State University and other Oregon media organizations. Read this post for more information about the training program.

Four months before Election Day, Sujala Chittor, an incoming junior at St. Mary's Academy, found herself in an unfamiliar place: a vast call center for the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign.

From a young age, Sujala's interests have been motivated by impassioned female role models like the women in the movie "Hidden Figures." She saw aspects of those successful women in people she worked with at the call center, who she felt were "on the verge of breaking glass ceilings."

The phrase describes a woman's limitless potential in a formerly male dominated world. Sujala, 16, aspires to live up to it.

At the call center, Sujala dialed page after page of telephone numbers in the pursuit of potential Democratic voters. She was mesmerized by the repetitive motion and inspired by the different people she reached.

Her optimistic approach to life comes from her belief that people have to make the best of even the worst circumstances. She emailed the campaign team multiple times of her own volition to get involved at the call center.

She reeled in her own friends to do the same and bolster the effort.

By embracing these growing responsibilities and opportunities, Sujala made it clear that young people have power, too.

She continued to support Hillary Clinton, even after Donald Trump won the presidential election. And although her candidate didn't win, Sujala didn't let it limit her voice.

The day after inauguration, she was among the 100,000 people who participated in the Women's March on Portland.

"We wanted to show we had a resistance movement ready if needed," Sujala said. "We're not going to give up."

In the future, Sujala intends to take on more of a leadership role in a possible presidential campaign of Elizabeth Warren in 2020, as well as organizing political events in college.

Sujala wants everyone to know they have a voice -- and that it matters. Sujala felt the personalities of the motivated, reliable public servants she worked with in the call center were embodied in some capacity in everyone that she's met since then.

"We should be active citizens and know who we should have as our leader," Sujala said. "Every person counts in the end. ... If everyone thinks the same way, then nothing will happen."